Auto-tagging: Definition

A feature that automatically adds a parameter to your URLs to help you track offline conversions and report on your ad performance using website tracking programs like Google Analytics.

Auto-tagging will attach the “Google Click Identifier” (GCLID) parameter to the URL your customers click, and that will help you tell which ad was clicked for each visit to your site.

Google Analytics and similar programs can use the information from auto-tagged URLs to tell you which Google Ads keywords brought a visitor to your site, which campaign that keyword was from, and how much that click cost. You can also use this information to import complex conversions into Google Ads, whether online or offline.

Tip

If you use an API, the GCLID parameter can also send more information from each click to the Click Performance report of the Google Ads API.

Auto-tagging is turned off by default. You can check whether auto-tagging is on, as well as turn it on or off, by going to your account settings.

Click Settings on the left page menu.

Click "Account settings" along the top of the page.

Click the Auto-tagging section. If the box next to “Tag the URL that people click through from my ad” is checked, auto-tagging is on. To turn if off, uncheck the box and click Save.

Note: When you create a new conversion action, auto-tagging will be activated automatically if you’re not already using cross-account conversion tracking. If you are using cross-account conversion tracking, you’ll need to enable auto-tagging in each of your child accounts manually according to the steps above.